Hey, They Used to Love Me in Vigan

Republic of the Philippines
Province of Ilocos Sur
MUNICIPALITY OF VIGAN
OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN
Resolution No. 16
Series of 1998
RESOLUTION DENOUNCING THE ARTICLE ENTITLED “REMEMBER, AND
SAVE, CIUDAD FERNANDINA” WRITTEN BY FRANK CIMATU PUBLISHED
IN THE PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER ON JUNE 28, 1998, FOR ITS BLATANT
DISREGARD, DISTORTION AND MUTATION OF FACTS BESMIRCHING THE
REPUTATION AND HONOR OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS OF VIGAN
PARTICULAR AND INSULTING THE PEOPLE OF VIGAN IN GENERAL; AND
DEMANDING AN APOLOGY AND RECTIFICATION OF FACTS BY MR.
CIMATU WITH EQUAL SPACE AND TREATMENT IN THE SAME
PUBLICATION.
WHEREAS, an article “Remember, and Save, Ciudad Fernandina” was
published in the June 28, 1998 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer particularly
under the Travel section written by Mr. Frank Cimatu;
WHEREAS, Mr. Frank Cimatu, writer of said article, never consulted or
interviewed any official of the Municipality of Vigan at least in an effort to verify
the veracity of facts he had gathered from one person; in the spirit of balanced or
impartial journalism;
WHEREAS, Mr. Frank Cimatu, obviously was misled by a single person with a
personal interest to gain recognition at the expense of the people of Vigan;
WHEREAS, the article “Remember, and Save, Ciudad Fernandina” describes the
history of our beloved town – Vigan, as well as plans for its preservation and
development as a major tourist destination in the world, particularly in our
application for inclusion in the World heritage List;
WHEREAS, the concluding paragraphs that follow the beautiful description and
plans for Vigan, particularly states “BUT VIGAN POLITICIANS HAVE OTHER
IDEAS”, thereby implying that Vigan politicians are irresponsible, unreliable,
unpatriotic and their ideas are contrary to the plans for Vigan’s greatness;
WHEREAS, plans and visions for Vigan is not for the credit of “ … one of the
handful Bigueños” as the article fondly describes its “heroine”; rather plans and
visions for Vigan is for the credit of each and every Bigueño who cooperates in
every efforts of the Municipal Government of Vigan and the Provincial
Government of Ilocos Sur;
WHEREAS, a member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Vigan, Councilor Steve
Javier has been portrayed as unpatriotic and a destroyer where he “….
Demolished the remnants of one of the first churches of the Iglesia
Independiente in the process”;
WHEREAS, Councilor Steve Javier never demolished the structure which Mr.
Cimatu refers to, rather such building was restored, and conserved through the
use of materials approved by the National Historical Institute and described as
reversible by experts from the National Historical Institute, the same national
agency that issued the permit for Councilor Steve Javier on his Supermarket
project;
WHEREAS, the article stated that other politicians, bought or owned houses
within the area and are “planning to go on with their own development”, which
further mentions our Honorable Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson with an “open
secret” in owning many of the houses in Vigan, exacerbates Mr. Cimatu’s
allusion that politicians in Vigan are irresponsible and unpatriotic and could go on
with ‘their own development” plans;
WHEREAS, our Honorable Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson is from Vigan and
belonged to the affluent Singson clan. Hence, there is no “open secret” implying
a personal interest or purpose as pictured in the article, for our Honorable
Governor to own houses in Vigan;
WHEREAS, our Honorable Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson is very supportive in
all efforts and programs of the Municipal Government of Ilocos Sur on
conservation and restoration of Vigan;
WHEREAS, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur and the Municipal
Government of Vigan with the cooperation of all concerned have been doing all
efforts to realize the dream to make Vigan a global tourist destination as part of
the North Western Luzon Growth Quadrangle Program;
WHEREAS, the article of Mr. Cimatu is an insult to the people of Vigan who
elected Vigan Politicians;
WHEREAS, the article of Mr. Frank Cimatu besmirched the reputation of elected
officials of Vigan and shall caused embarrassment and shame to the Municipality
of Vigan and to all Bigueños before our national and international community;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to
denounce the article entitled “Remember, and Save, Ciudad Fernandina” written
by Mr. Frank Cimatu published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on June 28, 1998,
for its blatant disregard, distortion and mutation of facts besmirching the
reputation and honor of public officials of Vigan in particular and insulting the
people of Vigan in general; and demand an apology and rectification of facts by
Mr. Frank Cimatu with equal space and treatment in the same publication.
Approved on August 3, 1998.
(Sgd.) LIBORIO F. ARCA
Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer
(Sgd.) FRANCISCO P. RANCHES, JR.
(Sgd.) LOURDES G. BAQUIRAN
(Sgd.) DANILO ESTEBAN C. JAVIER
ALFREDO A. FIGUERRES, JR.
(Sgd.) CONSTANTE V. BENZON
(Sgd.) NICOMEDES R. RAMIREZ
(Sgd.) RANDOLF V. SINGSON
GEORGE J. VILLANUEVA
(Sgd.) BENEDICTO JOSE P.
VERZOSA
(Sgd.) ARISTOTLE F. ARDE
Attested:
(Sgd.) RAMIL A. ARCE
Secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan
Approved:
(Sgd.) EVA MARIE S. MEDINA
Mayor